Description
These Pineapple Teriyaki Meatballs feature lean ground chicken blended with fragrant ginger, garlic, and crushed pineapple, cooked low and slow in a naturally sweetened teriyaki sauce made from coconut aminos and pineapple juice. This gluten-free, healthy crockpot dish comes together with minimal hands-on time, making it a perfect quick or make-ahead dinner served over rice or cauliflower rice.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 2 tablespoons almond flour (or gluten-free oat flour)
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos (or gluten-free tamari)
- 1/4 cup crushed pineapple (drained, reserve the juice for the sauce)
- 2 tablespoons finely minced green onion (white part only, reserve green part for serving)
- 2 garlic cloves (minced or finely grated)
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 lb ground 93% lean dark meat chicken
Teriyaki Sauce
- 1/2 cup coconut aminos (or gluten-free tamari)
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/4 cup pineapple juice (reserved from crushed pineapple)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 garlic clove (minced or finely grated)
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
- 1 tablespoon water
For Serving
- Sliced green onion (green parts reserved earlier)
- Cooked white or brown rice, or cauliflower rice
- Sriracha (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Meatball Mixture: In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, 2 tablespoons coconut aminos, drained crushed pineapple, minced white part of the green onion, 2 minced garlic cloves, grated ginger, and ground chicken. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- Form Meatballs: Shape the mixture into approximately 20 evenly sized meatballs and place them in the crockpot in a single layer.
- Make the Teriyaki Sauce: In a separate bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup coconut aminos, 1/3 cup water, 1/4 cup pineapple juice, honey, 1 minced garlic clove, and grated ginger until well combined.
- Pour Sauce Over Meatballs: Carefully pour the prepared teriyaki sauce over the meatballs in the crockpot, ensuring they are submerged as much as possible.
- Cook in Crockpot: Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 5 hours (300 minutes) until meatballs are fully cooked and tender.
- Thicken the Sauce: About 15 minutes before serving, mix the arrowroot powder with 1 tablespoon water to create a slurry. Stir this slurry into the crockpot sauce gently, then cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes to thicken the sauce.
- Serve: Garnish the meatballs with the reserved green parts of the green onion. Serve hot over cooked white or brown rice, or cauliflower rice, with optional sriracha on the side for added heat.
Notes
- Pineapple Teriyaki Meatballs make a quick 30-minute dinner if you cook the meatballs by another method, but this crockpot method enhances flavor and tenderness.
- You can make this recipe ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze the cooked meatballs with the sauce.
- Substitute almond flour with gluten-free oat flour if avoiding nuts.
- Coconut aminos is a great soy-free alternative to tamari or traditional soy sauce, keeping this recipe gluten-free.
- To make this dish lower in sugar, reduce the honey or use a sugar substitute friendly for your dietary needs.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (5 meatballs with sauce)
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 17 g
- Sodium: 535 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 78 mg
